Divine 70% Dark Chocolate 100g Review

Typical price:

£1.35

We like:

The cocoa content; the Fairtrade certification; that it is owned by a Ghanaian cocoa cooperative

We don't like:

That too much cocoa butter makes it slightly oily; no organic certification

SmartPlanet judgement:

An incredibly tasty and good-quality dark chocolate, with amazing ethical credentials. In terms of greenness, we would welcome an organic certification or some guarantee that organic farming methods are in place. A recycled wrapper wouldn't be bad either.

Score:

Contact:

Nice Car Company at http://www.divinechocolate.com/home/default.aspx
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7378 6550

We're chocaholics here, and aren't ashamed of saying we've probably tasted most chocolates available in the UK and beyond. While not our absolute favourite on flavour, Divine's dark chocolate bar has a secure position in our top three.

The almost perfect cocoa/sugar ratio gives it a very well-balanced bittersweet flavour that good quality dark chocolate should have. It does leave a slightly oily coating on the tongue, which is okay with us, but we can imagine it would put some people off.

Although Divine would do perfectly well based purely on quality and taste, it's what goes on behind the scenes that makes it unique. To start with, Divine Chocolate (formerly Day Chocolate Company) was founded by organisations and companies that put human rights at the forefront -- namely Kuapa Kokoo, Christian Aid, Comic Relief, The Body Shop and Twin.

Then there's the fact that all Divine chocolate is made from Fairtrade beans from Kuapa Kokoo's own members. We rate their cooperative highly, and saw it operating first-hand on a trip in 2007. The organisation genuinely seems to benefit the 45,000 cocoa farmers that belong to it.

It's not only the financial Fairtrade premium that has helped many farmers, but also the knowledge, confidence and general support the cooperative members receive from the headquarters -- and from each other.

While Divine scores highly on ethical performance, it could do better in the green department. Although many of Kuapa Kokoo's farmers in reality farm without pesticides, it would be nice to have some sort of official assurance that the farmers are actively encouraged to farm according to organic principles. Unfortunately Ghana's cocoa board, which has the last say, is still not convinced organic farming is the way forward.

All in all, a lovely chocolate with potential to become "pa pa paa" -- "best of the best" in Twi, the cocoa farmers' local language.

Score breakdown:

 

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